As an astrologer it's a no-brainer that I am a strong believer that our birth charts offer us clues about
those worn and torn parts of us that are in need of healing; the parts of us
that have accrued damage over the course of our lifetime due to resentments and
hurts. When I look at a tough aspect in the natal chart, like a square,
opposition, and sometimes the conjunction I don't see the bearer as a hopeless
victim or as someone doomed to a life of failure and unhappiness. What I see is
an opportunity for change. I see the chance for a person to manifest the
relationships and situations that he or she truly wants in life.

I'll further explain what I mean:

I know a man who for the
purposes of anonymity, we'll call George. George was born with his Moon in
Libra square his Venus in Capricorn. This means that when it comes to relationships
(namely with women as represented by the feminine energy of the Moon and
Venus), his Moon’s needs (emotional) conflict with what he loves or deems
desirable (Venus). In this case, when it comes to relationship--the area of
life where we most use our Moon and Venusian energy, George is comforted by a
woman who reminds him of his mother (Moon). However, he attracts and is
attracted to women (Venus) who are nothing like mom (Moon). George is totally
conflicted by what he needs vs. what he wants. As many of us know, this is a
common issue in love.

Since the Moon in our charts can
represent our mother or the kind of nurturing energy we received as children,
George probably experienced a mom that was clingy, overly self-sacrificing, and
possibly manipulative; as such is Libran energy expressed in a disempowered
way. Somewhere in his emotional makeup, George must have deemed or learned to
deem his mother's energy as unacceptable and therefore with hisCapricorn
Venus, he disassociates himself from mom loving women that are detached and
self-preserving (the double edged swords of Cap!).

Unfortunately as a result of
this push-pull dynamic, George is encumbered with tumultuous, short-lived relationships
because his couple-oriented Moon (Libra) is put off by the Capricorn-like
coldness of his lovers. A part of him is afraid of losing his independencebut
can’t stand being alone. Out of fear and discomfort, George then finds himself taking on his “moonish”
qualities in the unhealed dynamic--he becomes clingy and manipulative
thereby turning his lovers off. What George doesn't realize is that this tough
aspect between his Moon and Venus is an opportunity for him to heal his
hang-ups about relationships. This aspect along with the rest of his chart
shows his evolutionary mission is to heal and be healed by deep lasting bonds.
George is here to learn that there is strength in vulnerability.

In its essence, the birth chart is a guideline, a map. It gives us a clue as
to how things work internally on the emotional, spiritual, and physical
levels. When we take the time out to tap into the power of our charts, what we
actually find is how best to tap into the power of ourselves. We can see where we need to heal and just how to do it.